Assembly device for shock absorbers



y 21, 3 v K. R. THOMPSON 2,645,846 v ASSEMBLY DEVICE FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS Filed April 19, 1949 INVENTOR. [e171 Tiarnyearz,

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Patented July 21, 1953 ASSEMBLY DEVICE FOR. SHOCK ABSORBERS Keith R. Thompson, Monroe, Mich, assignor to Monroe Auto Equipment Company, a corporation of Michigan Application April 19, 1949', Serial No. 88,248"

This invention relates to the manufacture of 3 Claims. (01. 29-244) shock absorbers and, in particular, refers to apparatus for assembling a dust cap and piston on opposite ends of a shock absorber rod.

The principal object of the invention is to 5 with the workpieces therein on the tool shank economize and facilitate the assembly of shock l5, the axis of rod 5 is aligned with the axis of absorber parts, especially the attachment of the the tool. v dust cap and pistonto the rod. The shank of the staking tool I2 is pivotally Briefly, the invention contemplates the initial supported at IT in the bifurcated end [9 of a preliminary assembly of both parts on opposite 10 shaft 2|, The shaft It has threaded engageends of the rod. Then, the piston end is inment at 23 with the frame '25 so that by rotation serted in a tubular member, preferably the shock thereof the height of the staking tool l3 can be absorber pressure tube, andthis member serves j varied. It will be recognized that axial force as an attachment or locating means to enable applied to'the staking tool l3 will therefore be an axial force to be applied to the rod. This transmitted to the frame 25. force is applied, of course, by suitable pads or 1 The requisite axial force for assembly purposes toolsengaging the partsand serves to press them is supplied by a ram or plunger 21 that is slidably on the rodand, if the tools are so adapted, to supported in the overhang 29 of the frame stake them in position. and is coaxial with the shaft 2|. I The plunger v The advantageous features of the invention 20 21 may have a bottom pad 3| which is suitably will be evident upon consideration of the accomrecessed at 33 to fit the cap I. 'panying' drawings which illustrate a preferred The preferred means for moving the plunger form of the invention wherein: 21 includes an air cylinder 35 that has the'us ual Figure 1 is a i l v tion of th mbly reciprocal piston therein and rod 31 extending apparatus with parts in section and parts broken outside the cylinder. A linkage system oper-I away, atively connects the rod 31 to the plunger 21 2 is a front elevation 0f the pp u and and serves to magnify the force and therefore Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. reduce the size of the plunger moving mech- The drawings show apparatus of a preferred I anism. This system includes a pair of diverging form for attaching a cap i to the upper end and links 39 and 4| which are each pivoted at one a piston 3 to the lower end of a rod 5. The cap end to the rod 31 as shown at 43. The lower I has a Central bore 7 Wh ch is Dress fit on link 39 is pivoted at its other end to the block the rod 5. This s a per fit so that the cap 45 which isfixedly secured to the frame upright may be fitted by hand in the end of the rod prior 41. Since the link 39 has a fixed pivot, the pivot to final assembly in accordance With th s n- 5 43 and thus the end of piston rod 31 must move vention. The piston 3 which is fitted on the in a predetermined orbit. In order to accomother end of the rod includes a number of elemodate this movement of the piston rod 31, the ments that are held in desired compressed relacylinder is pivoted at 49 in a bracket 5| that tion byanut 9 that is threaded the desired amount is fixedly secured to a frame member 53. The on the end of the rod 5 and is to be staked upper link 4| is pivoted to the lower end of a th retoe simultaneous Pressing 0f the l rod 55 that is slidably supported in one end of l and the sta Of Hut 9 r effected y the the overhang bracket 29. A cross link 51 is application of aXial fOrces t0 the l a d n pivoted at a central portion 59 to the overhang end of the rod in a direction to compress the rod. b k t, 19 a d t one d t t rod 55 as It Will be ppr h the p mi y dicated at 6|. The other end of the cross link ass y mpr ap, pist ut and r d 51 is pivoted at 62 to an adapter fitting 63 that m t be accurately positioned and p p rly upis threaded into the plunger 21 as shown at 65 ported during the pp on o axia rce if so as to vary the effective length thereof. the final assembly is to be properly made. In The pressure cylinder 35 may be controlled in order to accomplish this, the invention uses the any suitable manner. If it is of the spring return pressure tube II as a locating means. ,Further, type, there may be a pressure conduit 61 between th sta 0 I3 is d as a locat means one end of the cylinder and a control valve 69. cooperable with the tube and also as a support The valve 69, which may be either hand or foot means for the assembly. Thus, prior to the apactuated, selectively connects the conduit 61 to plication of force to the assembly of the cap, either the pressure line H or the exhaust line 13.

piston and rod, these elements are inserted in the tube II. The staking tool I3 has a shank I5 that also fits the tube I l and a shoulder IB that supports the tubeso that by placing the tube ll The pivotal connection I! enables the tool I3 to be moved forwardly so that its axis passes in front of the forward end of the overhang 29. A cross bar 15 on the bifurcated shaft end I9 serves to limit forward pivotal movement of the tool. With the tool l3 in the forward position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the preliminary assembly of tube II and rod with the cap I and piston 3 may be easily slipped on to the tool shank i5. This may then be pivoted toward the rear of the machine, 1. e., clockwise in Fig. 1 to bring the cap I into alignment with the recess 33 of the plunger pad 2|. Alignment with'the plunger 21 is insured by a locating block 11 which is amxed to the upright 41 and has a V centering recess 19 that serves to support and position the tube ll so that the rod 5 is coaxial with the plunger 21 and tool I3. The valve 69 may then be actu ated to energize the cylinder 35 and force the plunger 31 downward to apply compressive axial force to the cap I. This forces the cap 1 to be pressed on to the upper end of the rod 5 and also the staking tool Hi to stake the nut 9 to the piston in a well known manner.

From the standpoint of actual production procedure in the manufacture of shock absorbers, it is most advantageous to carry out this invention in the manner described, viz., (l) assemble the rod, cap, piston, nut and tube in a preliminary manner, (2) place on the tool shank l3 and align with the plunger 21, (3), apply axial compression to press the cap I and stake the nut 9, and (4) remove the tube and rod assembly. However, in its broader aspects it will be recognized that the benefits of the invention will be obtained in large measure ifthetube ll is first slipped on the shank l5 and thenthe rod inserted or if the tube H forms an actualpart of the machine, as by securing it to the tool I 3,,instead of a part of the shock absorber assembly; Other modifications will appear to those in theart hence it is not intended to limit the invention to the details shown and dec b d. V

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for attaching parts to opposite ends of a rod that is within a tube comprising a frame, a ram carried by the frame for applying axial compressive forces to the rod, a support carried by the frame and in axial alignment with the ram, said support including a radial shoulder forming a seat for the end of said tube and a portion projecting from said seat toward the ram and fitting within the tube to accurately align it with the axis of the ram, the end of said support within the tube and nearest said ram forming a seat for the end of the rod remote from said ram whereby the rod is confined between said ram and seat and held in alignment with the ram by said tube mounted on said support.

2. The. invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said seat also forms a staking tool.

3. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein the axis of ram movement is vertical and wherein said support is pivoted on the frame for limited movement away from said axis, said frame including a stop engageable with a tube mounted on the support for aligning the support with the axis.

KEITH R. THOMPSON.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stair Mar. 20, 1945 

